Photo By Joshua Cox | Located in the historic district of Havana Crescent at Naval Air Station (NAS)...... read more read more
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By Ensign Emma Remis
Archeologists are not just confined to remote parts of the world, excavating millennia-old artifacts on some adventure quest; they go wherever the history is. Sometimes quite literally your backyard, that is if you live onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola.
NAS Pensacola, known as the “Cradle of Naval Aviation” and for its relevance in the aviation training pipeline, is also one of the nation’s most historically significant bases. This storied history is the reason why NAS Pensacola is the only military installation in the southeast to retain its own archeologist. This area saw centuries of Spanish, French, and British occupations, followed by revolutionary success in U.S. Naval Aviation development. The archeological and historical sites embedded in NAS Pensacola reveal a turbulent history filled with military conquest, loss, and most importantly the lives of the men and women who made it possible.
Carrie Williams-Hannah, cultural resources manager at NAS Pensacola, works tirelessly to protect the historical integrity of hundreds of sites, buildings, and districts that exist within the current base. Charged with the stewardship of preserving history within an operating base, Williams-Hannah balances the needs of military training and development with the care required to protect the centuries of nationally significant history.
“The National Historic Preservation Act dictates that federal land, money, or permits require the government to take into effect the impact on cultural resources before a project can be approved,” says Williams-Hannah. “This includes new projects, such as additional buildings, as well as maintenance on existing structures.”
Her days are spent managing the base’s 90 archeological sites, almost 200 historic facilities, and eight historic districts. Some of these sites date back to the 1698 Spanish settlement, one of the oldest European settlements in the country. She works alongside the Public Works Department, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), and private contractors to ensure daily operations and new construction does not degrade the base’s cultural resources.
Any type of project, especially one that involves invasive construction, poses a threat to existing historic sites and undiscovered ones alike. Williams-Hannah describes her role as preventing the destruction of historically significant sites while the base continues to modernize and improve its facilities.
“I monitor the workers, watch them dig, and make sure they are not infringing on anything that hasn’t been disturbed before, like an intact feature,” said Williams-Hannah. “If they do encounter something, it gives me the opportunity to stop the work, then record and collect the finding.”
NAS Pensacola poses many unique challenges to the mission of historic preservation. Not only does it cover over 8,000 acres of land, host tens of thousands of students and employees, and have almost 200 historic facilities, the base also faces severe weather threats every year.
Hurricanes, which have been plaguing the gulf coast for centuries, as well as erosion and rising sea levels jeopardize the integrity of historic sites dating back to the 17th century. Reconstruction work to repair hurricane damage and safeguard against future loss is a top priority across the entire base.
While hurricanes are most commonly known for their ability to cause destruction, extreme winds and storm surges have also uncovered previously undisturbed historic sites. In 2012, nine mortar bombs were found at Sherman Cove after a tropical storm passed through the area. These bombs were preserved by a team at the University of West Florida and some are currently on display at the NAS Pensacola Public Works building.
Part of Williams-Hannah’s job as cultural resource manager is to not only preserve historic facilities, but repurpose them in a new capacity so they continue to serve the military mission. The Chevalier Field Historic District, originally established in 1922 as the non-sea plane landing area, is one of the most successful examples of using repurposed historic buildings to further mission success. Many of the original hangers, as well as the control tower, were renovated and incorporated into Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC) facilities. Other hangers have been converted into a food court, theater, NEX, and various other facilities that support troop morale and welfare.
With such a large collection of historic buildings, many dating back to the 1800s, there is high demand for reconstruction work. These renovations are done with the support of the cultural resources manager, in order to maintain the original architectural style when possible. Williams-Hannah’s philosophy is to replace things in kind, using building materials salvaged from other historic buildings of the same era whenever possible. This approach underscores the importance of preserving NAS Pensacola’s storied history, while simultaneously improving the readiness of the base as a military installation.
In instances where historic buildings are unable to be restored, mitigation must be made in order to offset the adverse effect on the cultural resources. Although this mitigation is subjective, it is a way for the Public Works Department to quantify the historical significance of a building or site and ensure that its removal does not have an overall negative impact on the cultural assets of an area. For example, mitigation for demolishing a dilapidated building might be renovating two other historic buildings from the same time period that are also in the area.
When asked about her experience so far at NAS Pensacola, Williams-Hannah said that she could hardly pick a better place to work. With its extensive and varied history, she feels fortunate to have landed here.
“Not only to be able to take care of this beautiful base and these important buildings, but to do it working for the Navy is an extra bonus because you’re supporting the people who protect us and our freedom,” she said. “It can’t get much better than that.”
| Date Taken: | 06.10.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 06.10.2021 10:59 |
| Story ID: | 398578 |
| Location: | PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 279 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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